Bachmann lands slot on Intel panel

Rep. Michele Bachmann, one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House, has won an appointment to the secretive House Intelligence Committee.

The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass-roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.

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Bachmann once suggested that Congress should investigate whether Democratic lawmakers were pro- or anti-America, and she's been a cable TV favorite because she's known for colorful sound bites.

Members of the Intelligence panel receive classified briefings in a secure conference room in the Capitol, and are sworn to secrecy about most of the committee's activities.

"If you're looking for media and controversy, that's not the committee to be on," said a Republican familiar with the discussions about Bachmann's appointment.

Bachmann, on her Facebook page, said she was "honored to have been selected by Speaker-designate John Boehner to serve on the House Intelligence Committee. As a mother of five biological children and 23 foster children I pledge to do whatever I need to do to keep your family, my family, and the United States safe from harm."